Sept. 15, 2007

Maroons Fall in First-Ever Stagg Field Night Game

CHICAGO -- Elmhurst College converted four University of Chicago turnovers into 22 points en route to a 36-13 victory in non-conference football action Saturday in the first-ever night game at Stagg Field.

The Bluejays (2-0) picked off three passes -- one of which was returned for a touchdown -- and recovered a fumble as they defeated the Maroons for the fifth consecutive season.

Three plays after Chicago (1-1) mishandled the opening kickoff, Elmhurst signal caller Chris Kudyba connected with David Wilharm from 14 yards out for the first of his two touchdown passes.

Kudyba then led a 9-play, 70-yard march capped by a Wilharm 1-yard touchdown plunge on Elmhurst's next possession.

The score remained 14-0 until the first minute of the second quarter when Demetrios Vrettos picked off junior quarterback John Kiernan's (Joliet, Ill./ Joliet Catholic) pass and rumbled 3 yards into the end zone.

Midway through the second quarter, Patrick Ambriz intercepted a pass at midfield and returned the ball to the Chicago 20-yard line. Two plays later, Kudyba threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Wilharm to give Elmhurst a 26-0 lead.

Wilharm rushed for 56 yards and one touchdown and caught three passes for 23 yards and two scores. Kudyba connected on 13 of 25 attempts for 134 yards and two touchdowns.

Chicago got on the board with 2:02 left in the half when freshman wideout Clay Wolff (St. Louis, Mo./ Christian Brothers) took a reverse 38 yards for his second rushing touchdown in as many weeks.

Elmhurst backup quarterback Mike LaFleur's 17-yard touchdown run with 7:35 to go in the third period accounted for the only scoring of the quarter. LaFleur was 8-for-15 for 125 yards in relief of Kudyba.

Tyler Lomnicki gave Elmhurst its final points with a 36-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter four plays after a Jake Brashares 32-yard interception runback.

Senior quarterback Justin Fleming (Natick, Mass./ Natick) hooked up with Wolff on a 35-yard scoring strike with 9:10 remaining for the game's final points.

Wolff caught 11 passes for 106 yards in addition to his 38 yards on the ground. Fleming was 9-of-13 for 100 yards, one touchdown, and an interception.

Ambriz led the Bluejays defensively with a pair of sacks and an interception, while freshman defensive end Justin Kaderabek (Caldeonia, Ill./ Boylan Catholic) collected three tackles-for-loss for the Maroons.

Box Score